Today's Favorites - Customer's Shoes

While I feel like it has been forever since I have written, really it has only been almost exactly 48 hours, which is not that long, in fact, to go without a post, especially considering that I am currently in Paris....yup, Paris! Taking a short trip, seeing the sights and doing a couple of things here and there, that you will see and hear about in the not-so-distant future. But as always, I have to keep up my wonderful blog and give to all of you the shoe porn that you so desperately yearn for. And for today, I have decided to honor my comment of putting up the shoes of my readers who send me pics of their collections. So, to lead the pack, I have added a most beautiful spat boot, that would put most boots to shame, and was made by none other than French shoe house, Aubercy. And while I appreciate putting up my reader's shoes, I find myself a little jealous at some of them, especially since I don't own a spat boot, and may have to wait awhile, as no one really makes them, especially not for a ready-to-wear collections. Anyway, you can see the interesting shoes that were given to me via picture and think about the one's that you want to send me to show for future posts!

Wait until you see the shoes that I had commissioned a patina for....simply amazing!!!!

Enjoy.......  -Justin, "The Shoe Snob"
 

 Custom-made green cracked leather balmoral boot -- unique!

Custom-made scorpion medallion toes -- very interesting..












John Lobb (2), Corthay & G&G -- Not as unique, but nice nonetheless.. (clockwise from top left -- below)

Shoe closets....

High Toe Shine -- Good job!

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Life's Influence On Your Shoe Collection

It's truly amazing how you evolve as a person, not only with the way you think but with the way you behave, with the way that you dress, with the way that you do most things really. Thinking about what I wanted to write about this morning I was just think about me being in this place in time, and how different I am compared to 2 years ago, when I was in Italy, and even 5 years ago, when I was just getting out of university, in Seattle. It's amazing to think of the transformation of being since that time, particularly with how my shoe tastes have changed. I wish that I never had to get rid of any of the shoes that I have owned as of 7 years ago so that I could put them into a line, in order of purchase date. This would allow me to truly capture the details in how my thinking and tastes have changed, and ultimately --as I would regard-- evolved.

When I was younger, I used to just buy shoes because I liked the way they looked, that being, I liked their styling. I would buy them, and wear them proud. But when I moved to Europe, I started to noticed how I no longer liked my old shoes and wanted to have things that I actually loved the shape of, not just the styling of them. I wore things before that were way too elongated and pointy. And even though, that was the style and what was available back then in the States, it quickly became quite boring for me. It's a shame too, because I had so many nice things, that I wished I would have been able to keep. But I could just not stand them anymore. So, thinking about what I like now and what sits in my closet, I still have some classics that I have had since the very beginning, things that have managed to withstand the time of trends and passed through them, as well as things that I would have never like before but that I do now, such as my Gieves & Hawkes (by Edward Green) loafer  that I have Paulus Bolten give a patina to.

At the age that I am, I feel like I have gone through all of my changes and will no longer have such drastic alterations in my thought and dress sense. Granted, I will always go through phases where I will love loafers versus everything else or maybe only want to get full-brogues, but overall, I have come to know that a shoe's shape is what draws me to it. It's credibility in it's quality (does not have to be only the high end, but good enough to stand a couple of years in London weather) is what is going to sell me and it's styling is what's going to capture my attention. But you never know, if I one day move to Japan, and have another culture influence my very being, I just might start wearing only crazy colored shoes, and never go back from that! (not likely...)

All Shoes By: Gaziano & Girling, Top 2 Pictures Courtesy Of: Leffot

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Shoes Of The Week - Riccardo Bestetti

I constantly get so jealous when I look through the pictures of shoes that Riccardo Bestetti has made. Not only because they are beautiful and I want them all but because his bespoke shoes are the closest thing in style, color, and detailing to what I see lacking in the shoe industry and what I hope to slowly but surely release into the world at non-bespoke prices. For instance, either on the those two whole cut loafers at the top, are something that I always felt was lacking yet I feel like they are such an elegant shoe that should be an option in the shoe stores. But they are not. They seem to only be an option if you are filthy rich and can afford to shell out 2000-3000 Euro/GBP/$ for a pair of shoes, which unfortunately only makes up around 1% of the population. So knowing that he is doing well and that people like his shoes gives me inspiration in knowing that when I make shoes (RTW) in similar styling, at a price that 50% of the population can afford, they too shall be well received!

Some Pictures Provided By: StyleForum

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More Japanese Shoes: Otsuka M-5

While this might be sad to hear (for it shows just how much of a freak that I am), I do not think that there are many things more exciting than discovering new brand of shoes which make exactly what I like. This is very much the case with Japanese shoe brand, Otsuka M-5. While it's very hard to gather information on this brand, as I do not speak nor read the Japanese language, it would be safe to infer that they seem to take the best from all worlds and put a Japanese twist on them. While I have read somewhere, of which I cannot remember, I believe that their shoes are made in sunny 'ol England. By the looks of their construction --which you can see on the website-- having a fiddleback and bevelled waist and being obviously goodyear welted, one would think that the factory they use, would be either Edward Green, Alfred Sargent or Crockett & Jones. It not really being that important which factory makes them, what is important is that they have done a good job at taking classic shoes and putting a fun twist on them.




















As you can see from this model above, that occupies the top row as well as the bottom left, it is a style that seems to have been inspired by French shoemakers, particularly Pierre Corthay, as it seems to be something that he has done in the past or at least something similar. And while that might seem pretentious of me to say, as I believe that Japanese designers/shoemakers have proved time again that they make unique pieces that separate them from everyone else, it is not a bad thing, in fact, to have inspiration and utilize it to create something similar. Not being the biggest fan of derbies in general, I think that what they have done to the facing of these shoes, make them that much more appealing, especially the canvas model above, right. And while I loving see shoes like this, it always disappoints me that in order to ever see them in person, I either have to purchase them or take a trip to Tokyo. And while a trip to Tokyo is something that I really want to do, I would very much like this to not be my only option in seeing them in the flesh.

Now, we look at the pictures of above and you see the spectators that remind me of some Edward Green's and then the single monk straps with the hand braided stitch, that might look like something Moreschi would conjure up. And it's wonderful. This brand, does it all!! They don't have just one way about them, they have all the ways of the world, making each one with their own Japanese twist. This is the way that I think that shoes should brands should be. But then again, there would be no distinction between brands if they all did everything. So it's refreshing to see that at least it is offered somewhere. A kind of one-stop-shop brand. I could not imagine going to the store where they sell these, it would literally break my wallet, in half! Well, if anyone has any other information they would like to share on this brand, please do not hesitate to leave it in the comment section, as I am sure that there will be many readers who may wish to know more....

READ MORE - More Japanese Shoes: Otsuka M-5